Thoughts on Season One.

Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (retired) uncovers a conspiracy...

Star Trek: Picard was a highly awaited show. Boasting the return of Patrick Stewart to an iconic role, and with award winning writer Michael Chabon in charge of the story, the series promised much. Pre-release promotion indicated that the series would offer storytelling that was intelligent and adult, while still providing plenty of fast-paced action for genre fans.  Basically, Picard would satisfy old-school fans and new ones alike.

That was probably always going to be a tough promise to live up to, so it's little surprise that the results were a bit... mixed.


"NO LONGER STARFLEET":

Though the series' premiere suffers from uneven pacing, there is much promise in the initial episodes. Science fiction generally is written as a reflection of modern society.  That's very much the case here; released in a divided time in which many feel pessimistic about the future, Picard presents a decaying Federation that is moving in the wrong direction.

The series opens with a sense of disillusionment. Picard has renounced Starfleet, condemning them for turning their back on their own ideals. "They were no longer Starfleet," he angrily proclaims during an interview. When he later goes to a Starfleet admiral for help, she throws that interview back in his face and tells him that Starfleet "is no longer your house," all but dismissing his concerns as the fantasies of a senile old man.

The first half of the series follows up on this. Absolute Candor shows us the Romulan refugees left to fend for themselves after Starfleet decided not to continue lending aid to their one-time enemies. The contrast between the hopeful refugees shown in an opening flashback and the bitter, angry ones seen in the present brings home the consequences of this. Even Stardust City Rag - the season's most standalone episode - reintroduces a Seven of Nine who has joined a vigilante outfit to try to keep some semblance of order in territories that Starfleet abandoned.

Romulan refugee Ellnor resents Picard for abandoning him.

A DROPPED THREAD:

This is an interesting thread, even just as a background to the main action. Unfortunately, it's all but completely dropped midway through the season.

The second half of the season barely references the changes in Starfleet since the TNG era. Only Broken Pieces remembers it, and then only long enough to tie up some plot issues. Other than that, this might as well be the Starfleet of the 1990s series. In that same episode, the previously dismissive Admiral Clancy promises Picard her support, and neither Picard nor his crew ever seem in any doubt of it. The finale then sees Starfleet represented by the friendly face of William Riker... which oddly echoes Star Trek: Insurrection, in which Riker also secured a reversal of a prior Starfleet decision entirely off screen.

I would have preferred the series to have kept alive the idea of a Starfleet that Picard couldn't necessarily count on. As much fun as Riker's cameo in the finale was, it might have been more interesting if Starfleet had arrived at the android planet with the same goal as the Romulan fleet: to try to curtail a threat. Then Picard could have been left trying to negotiate with three potentially hostile parties: the androids, the Romulans, and Starfleet. That might not have left much time for climactic action scenes... but it would have been more of a piece with the start of the season.

Picard visits old colleagues Will and Deanna Riker.

AN EFFECTIVE BALANCE OF STORYTELLING AND NOSTALGIA:

The greatest strength of Star Trek: Picard's first season is in how well it manages to feed nostalgia for the TNG era while still retaining its own identity as a very different series.

The series' opening scene features Picard playing poker with Data on the Enterprise - spiritually picking up exactly where the final scene of TNG's finale left off. It quickly becomes apparent that this is a dream sequence, and Picard is left waking up to his current life and situation, which is very different than his days as a starship captain.

The next several episodes focus on furthering the season's story and on introducing the new characters. These characters work well for the most part. Santiago Cabrera's Capt. Rios emerges as the standout; but all of the new regulars are well-played, and every character gets at least a few good moments throughout the season.

Even as Picard develops its new cast, it continues to drip-feed nostalgia from 1990s Trek. Episode Two references Picard's former crew members and explains why he won't just turn to them for help. Episode Four ends with the return of Seven of Nine, arguably the most popular character from 1990s Trek series Voyager. Episode Seven, Nepenthe, plays the most directly to TNG nostalgia, with Picard visiting old colleagues Riker and Troi and spending an entire episode as their houseguest.

This last should be a complete momentum killer, an episode-long wallow in nostalgia. However, the script makes it work. Not so much in the cutaways to Rios and the other crew members, whose scenes mostly feel like an intrusion - but in the primary material, with Picard, Soji, and the Rikers. Though these scenes have a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere, the focus remains on Picard's efforts to gain the trust of the traumatized android Soji. By putting story and much character emphasis on Soji's trauma and her wariness of Picard, the episode manages to balance the demands of being the fan-pleasing "Riker/Troi episode" against those of being a part of this series.

Picard has a conversation with Data that sums up the season's themes...
just in time for the rest of the episode to undermine it.

THE ENDING (YES, SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT):

While Picard's finale was far from perfect (Example: Seven's plotline ends with her having a catfight against a character she never previously met, in order to avenge a character with whom she never shared a second of screen time), it was satisfying overall, particularly with regard to Picard's character journey. The man who had started the season as a bitter shell of his former self ends it making an impassioned plea about the responsibilities of being alive. He does this fully expecting it to be his last act, and it is a fine ending to his season journey. Had this been Picard's end, it would have been a substantially more fitting than the one Kirk received.

Then the last 10 - 15 minutes wrecks it by transferring Picard's brain into an android body.

It's not that there isn't dramatic potential in this. Earlier in the season, we see again the scars of Picard's assimilation by the Borg. He almost collapses when he beams onto The Artifact, the dormant Borg Cube claimed by the Romulans. He admits to Seven that he's never felt 100% human again after his experience of being Locutus of Borg.

In short, this should be Picard's greatest horror come to life: He is now something not quite human. Entirely without his consent, he has been "assimilated" by Dr. Soong. And there might be potential in that, except... the ending downplays this entirely. It's spelled out in painful detail that Picard is entirely unchanged. He's exactly as he would have been, with exactly the remaining life span he would have had, minus the terminal disease that's been hanging over him all season. And Picard is entirely OK with it, voicing not even a single reservation.

The whole thing feels like a cheat. Not only does it cheapen the sacrifice Picard was willing to make; it undermines the sentiments Data made just one scene earlier, in which he notes that the value of life is that it ends and that "a butterfly that lives forever is really not a butterfly at all." The entire structure of the season was that this was Picard's last adventure, and he explicitly states that he's giving his life to Soji and her people. By reversing that sacrifice so clumsily, it undermines much of what went before.

Narek manipulates Soji in the season's best episode.

THE CURSE OF A TEN-PART MOVIE:

To an extent, many of my issues with the season have to do with the structue of most modern series, particularly those made for streaming. Star Trek: Picard is less a television series than it is an elongated movie. Like a movie, most of its efforts go to furthering its central plot - one main plot that covers the entire season.

There are a couple breaks from this. Absolute Candor focuses on the displaced Romulans. Stardust City Rag comes close to being a standalone, centered around a sting against a dangerous criminal. But those are the only two exceptions. The rest of the season is centered around Picard's efforts to save Soji (and later, her people) from the Romulans.

I recognize that this kind of long-form storytelling is one of the advantages television has over movies. Stories can cover more ground, involve more characters, and deal with more complexity than can be fit into a 2-hour movie. At times, Star Trek: Picard makes this work. The Impossible Box, in which the various threads finally come together, is an excellent episode, easily the season's best, and its success comes in large part from it being able to pay off what was set up by previous installments.

However, I worry that the focus on long-form storytelling has led to neglect of television's other advantage: Its ability to pause and tell stories that are intimate, personal, and even small. This is far from a fault unique to Picard - but when everything is focused on showing some large-scale epic, then there isn't time for people sitting in a room talking, working through a conflict or a moral quandary in a quiet, contemplative manner.

I enjoyed (most of) Picard. But I didn't award a single "10," and I can't help but wonder if part of the reason is that everything had to fuel the plot. I think back on some of my favorite past Star Trek episodes, and so many of them are unimaginable in the framework Picard has employed. I can't imagine this series ever having room for episodes such as: Tapestry, The Inner Light, Duet, The Visitor, It's Only a Paper Moon, or Mortal Coil.

Again, that's more a comment on the trend of shows in general - but if there's no longer room for small, quiet storytelling gems, then I'd argue that more has been lost than has been gained.

Picard, back in command.

SEASON TWO WISHLIST:

Given that Q was in every promo for Season Two, I'm not going to feign total ignorance of what's to come. I know that Q will return, and I know that the next season will deal with some alternate universe shenanigans. I've managed to remain unspoiled beyond that.

My biggest hope is that they take what I felt was a disastrous ending and turn it into an asset.  I do not want to see it overwritten - Please no "Q handwaves it away" solution.  Instead, make use of it.  I still feel that Picard should be greatly troubled by what was done to him.  Take as a starting point that Picard, who has stated that the Borg left him feeling less than fully human, now actually is other than 100% human.  I don't like that it was done; but since that route was taken, I hope they follow it and make something interesting out of it.

I also hope that they continue to make good use of the regulars they have established. I actually quite like Picard's cast. Even the underused characters have potential, and all of the actors are at least competent. I'd love to see more of Picard's ex-Tal'Shiar housekeeper from the first three episodes; the actress was terrific, and I was actively disappointed when she didn't return later in the season.

I would also love for the series to revisit the idea of a Federation that has gone slightly wrong. That was one of the strongest elements of the season's first half, and I feel it was a major missed opportunity to drop that thread for the second half. If they could pick that thread back up and do something with it, I think it could be potentially interesting.


IN CONCLUSION:

"Potential" is a word that comes to my mind a lot when thinking about Picard's first season. There was a lot of potential here for a fine show. Unlike some, I found this to be an enjoyable season; I'd rank it above at least three seasons of TNG (and I think Trek fandom sometimes forgets how uneven much of TNG really was).

That said, this season only occasionally realized its potential. The ideas were present for Season One of Picard to be a remarkable piece of television, and there are glimpses of that in Maps and Legends, The Impossible Box, and Broken Pieces. The rest of the time, however, the series contented itself with being merely serviceable.

It was still better than three of the four TNG movies, mind you... But I'd like to see that bar set just a bit higher than that.


Next Season: Season Two

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1-10. Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2.

Picard, in command of La Sirena, prepares to confront a Romulan fleet!

Original Air Date: Mar. 26, 2020. Written by: Michael Chabon. Directed by: Akiva Goldsman.


THE PLOT:

The end is nigh.

Sutra's deception has succeeded: Soji, Soong, and the androids are all in agreement about sending the signal encoded in The Admonition. This will result in the summoning of advanced synthetics who will save the androids... at the expense of all organic life!

Narek has a plan. He sneaks into the Artifact to recover enough explosives to destroy the transmitter. Knowing he can't succeed in this effort alone, he appeals to Rios, Raffi, and Elnor for help - though Elnor seems as inclined to kill him as listen to him.

Meanwhile, Jurati breaks Picard out of confinement. Just as Oh (Tamlyn Tomita)'s Romulan fleet arrives, Picard tries a gamble of his own - a final bid to stop the Romulans and to prevent the synthetics from transmitting their deadly message!


CHARACTERS:

Picard: "I am trying to pilot a starship for the first time in a very long time, without exploding or crashing!" One thing the finale gets right is Picard himself. While Rios and most of the crew try to stop the signal, Picard launches into orbit in La Sirena with only Dr. Jurati to assist. This brings Picard full circle: Gone is the bitter old man from the winery, and in his place is the confident Starfleet captain. "The Picard Maneuver" is even utilized to catch the Romulans' attention to delay their attack - well, a significantly enhanced version of it. Patrick Stewart is marvelous, as always, and it's appropriate that the finale centers in large part around him making a plea relying on reason and morality - always Picard's greatest tools - rather than relying on threats and brute force.

Riker: As with Seven of Nine's first appearance at the end of Absolute Candor, I feel Jonathan Frakes's billing should have been reserved for the end credits to preserve the surprise. But since they slap "Special Guest Star: Jonathan Frakes" right on there, I'll observe that Riker gets a decent supporting role, in a way that effectively follows up on his scenes with Picard in Nepenthe, with Riker's ongoing support for and belief in his old C. O. coming through strongly.

Data: The season opened with Picard dreaming of Data, and it closes with a fully conscious Picard speaking to Data thanks to a computer simulation. Brent Spiner's age is visible despite the best efforts of the makeup crew (and likely some CGI enhancement), but the scene is a nice touch, the two men speaking thoughtfully about the value of mortality. Though I wasn't particularly upset with Data's original sendoff, this quiet conversation, followed by a moment in which Data listens to Blue Skies (the song he sang at Riker's wedding) is a far more appropriate final bow for the character.

Dr. Soong: Data's curtain call does not spell the end of Spiner's Star Trek involvement, not so long as the Soong dynasty continues to have every male member look exactly like him. Alton Soong is appalled when he learns that Sutra helped Narek not only to escape, but to kill one of her own sisters to push the androids into sending the signal. "Turns out you're no better than we are," he says, the disappointment heavy in his voice. I hesitate to call this a redemption; Soong was entirely willing to commit genocide until he found out that his "children" are just as capable of selfishness and deception as all other sentient beings. He may end up being not quite a villain... but I find myself ultimately agreeing with Picard's assessment, when he states, "I don't much care for him."

Soji: Her encounter with Narek in the previous episode really should have been better written, as its apparent that their conversation in conjunction with Sutra's deception has pushed her into activating the signal.  She's the target of Picard's plea, and she is also the ultimate target of Oh's planned attack, meaning that the entire resolution revolves around her choice. Since we're never in doubt as to what she'll do, the stakes revolve more around the character than the plot. Unfortunately, in this episode, Soji feels more like a plot device than a person, leaving all of our character investment purely with Picard, which blunts the effectiveness of an otherwise generally well-executed climax.

Dr. Jurati: It turns out that she was lying when she pretended to be on the side of Sutra and Soong. When Soong congratulates her on the "sacrifice" she is willing to make as the androids' "mother," Jurati smiles and nods... until he leaves, when she spits out, "I'm not their mother, asshole." The endearing geek-girl side of her, seen in her Episode Three grin when Picard said, "Make it so," pops up again as she breaks Picard out, all the while amazed that no one has detected "the worst secret agent ever." Alison Pill, who's been too often pushed to the sidelines, seems to revel in her meatier role this episode. Still, I can't help but wonder at how all of her actions from the mid-season seem to be completely forgiven (even forgotten) by the ending scenes.

Narek: Thankfully, the one-dimensional pod-Narek of the previous episode is gone. Once he sees the transmitter, Narek is smart enough to go to the La Sirena crew to urge a truce to try to stop what is coming. Just as refreshingly, both Rios and Raffi are entirely willing to listen to him. They're wary, but they listen, and manage to form a plan to get back into the compound.

Seven of Nine: Her role in the finale is... underwhelming. I expected that she would be working to get the Borg's defenses back online to help in stopping the Romulans. This does not happen. Instead, Seven participates in the climax by getting into a fight with Narissa (who returns, both inexplicably and unnecessarily, after having been seemingly dispatched at the end of Broken Pieces). This entire bit feels like something spun out of whole cloth just to give Seven something to do. Much better is her final conversation with Rios, which reminds us that Jeri Ryan is actually a very good actress, something I hope Season Two makes better use of.

Oh, and perhaps following in the tradition of Voyager (which apparently ended with her in an inexplicable relationship with Chakotay), a shot near the end implies a new romantic relationship... with a character opposite whom she has barely shared screentime! I'll reserve judgement on this until I see it play out - but I can't help but wonder why this development wasn't saved for Season Two, when there might have been time to lay groundwork for it.


THOUGHTS:

"Fear is a poor teacher."
-Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, retired.

The entire crisis of Et in Arcadia Ego, and of Picard's first season in general, is because of fear. The Zhat Vash's entire existence traces back to fear of synthetics. That led them to sabotage Picard's rescue mission - of Romulus, no less - which in turn led to Starfleet banning synthetics... an overreaction born out of fear. Actions taken by both Starfleet and the Romulans have led the synthetics to feel backed into a corner, ready to lash out from fear of their own annihilation, in an attitude of "it's us or them"... a reaction that, as Picard observes, will make them into the very destroyers the Romulans have prophesied.

Picard has no capacity to go toe-to-toe with the Romulans, let alone the unknown synthetics. He has one ship against hundreds. Oh's initial reaction to La Sirena is to ignore it. Picard instead uses his wits to draw the Romulans' attention, all to delay the bombardment long enough to get Soji to listen as he pleads with her to make a better choice.

Related to the theme of fear throughout the season, we have also witnessed characters justifying their actions by claiming they have "no choice." Dr. Jurati felt she had no choice but to murder Bruce Maddox. The Zhat Vash insist they have no choice but to do whatever is necessary to stop the synthetics. Rios's former commander was ordered to commit murder, given no choice if he didn't want his own ship to be destroyed.

When Soji claims that she has no choice but to send the signal, Picard rejects that excuse. He labels it "a failure of imagination," and tells her that the decision to become the destroyer or not is what it has always been: Soji's decision and responsibility, and no one else's... in the process implicating every cry of "no choice" that has been heard throughout the show.

All of this works thematically, the refrains of fear and people feeling they have no choice having built throughout the season. It also works in terms of the story. As an episode, Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 builds effectively. Act One establishes the transmitter and the stakes. We then follow two groups - Narek and the La Sirena crew, Picard and Jurati - as they undertake separate actions to try to stop it. The final Act pays off the conflicting issues of the season - not only with the Romulans arriving, but with Picard trying to stop them with an appeal to reason and morality based largely on his own hope and faith in others... showing his own restoration, as such hope and faith would have been far beyond the broken man we saw in Remembrance.

For 45 of its 57 minutes, Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 stands as a strong season finale. Not everything works (the Narissa/Seven catfight is as poor as it is superfluous) and there's a bit too striking a resemblance between the glimpse we get of the Doomsday Synthetics and Babylon 5's Shadows (not quite enough to be a copyright infringement, but enough to make me skeptical of coincidence). Still, it's engaging and effective, with the quiet conversations between Rios and Seven, Elnor and Raffi, and finally Picard and Data all serving as an effective button...

And then the ending happens.

If you haven't seen the episode, then stop here, because I don't know how to discuss the ending without spoiling it...

A final conversation between old friends.

A MISJUDGED EPILOGUE

"A butterfly that lives forever is really not a butterfly at all."
-Data inadvertently sums up some of the problems with the ending.

Another theme the episode develops is the value of mortality. In the wonderfully effective Data cameo, Data makes a plea to have the matrix sustaining his intelligence shut down, so that he can experience a life that ends.

This fits with Picard's own arc. He has spent the entire season knowing that his time is short, that this will be his final mission. When he launches into orbit to face the Romulan fleet, he knows it is a one-way trip. He states that he is doing this to offer his life to Soji and her people, in hopes that they will see that they have options other than destruction. When he starts to collapse, he has Jurati inject him with stimulants that aggravate his condition, all so that he can remain alert to make his last appeal. To make his death mean something.

...And then they undermine that entire message by turning Jean-Luc into a frickin' robot!

Yes, Picard's consciousness is transferred into the synthetic "golem" that has been set up for the past two episodes. Even this isn't used effectively. This should frankly horrify him: His worst nightmare is being made into something other than human, as happened with the Borg. Instead, he's assured that everything is fine - He's basically entirely as he would have been minus the terminal illness, nullifying any chance of wringing anything more out of this late development. To all purposes, Picard having his brain put into a new body is nothing more than the most convoluted cure for a disease in recorded history.

This feels like a cheat, because it is a cheat.

Far, far better had the episode ended with Picard's death, with his consciousness fading during that conversation with Data and a tag featuring the other characters' reactions. But then I guess we couldn't have a Season Two. And what's thematic unity compared to keeping the cash cow pumping?


OVERALL:

For all that the ending leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I still have to give Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2 a good score. For the bulk of its running time - and the entirety of the actual plot - it's highly engaging. The character dynamics are good, and the season's themes are effectively dramatized.

It's a shame about that epilogue, and I'd almost advise hitting "STOP" at the end of the scene with Data. Much like the season itself, however, the flaws of the episode - while evident - aren't enough to keep me from considering it a worthwhile addition overall.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1
Next Episode: The Star Gazer

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1-09. Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1

Sutra (Isa Briones) mind melds with Dr. Jurati to view The Admonition.

Original Air Date: Mar. 19, 2020. Written by: Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldman. Directed by: Akiva Goldsman.


THE PLOT:

La Sirena's push through a transwarp conduit works: Picard and his team arrive at Soji's homeworld ahead of the Romulans... Well, most of them. Narek followed them through, and immediately attacks. Followed by Seven of Nine, in the commandeered Artifact.

The brewing space battle is interrupted by devices from the planet, which envelop all three vessels and bring them down to the surface. Narek is taken prisoner. Meanwhile, Seven works on repairing the Cube to defend against the oncoming Romulan fleet - which sensors show is made up of more than 200 warbirds!

Picard and Soji lead their team to Coppelius Station, which is populated by sentient androids, alongside their creator, Dr. Altan Inigo Soong (Brent Spiner). Picard warns them of the imminent attack and offers to evacuate them to safety. But Sutra (Isa Briones), a sister unit to Dahj and Soji, sees another alternative - one that could make the Romulan Admonition into a horrifying reality!


CHARACTERS:

Picard: The terminal illness he's been hiding is discovered after he collapses during the descent to the planet. He deals with this simply and brusquely, telling his crew that they are not to treat him as a dying man. Both Elnor and Raffi become emotional at different points in the show; Picard deals gracefully with Elnor, pointing out that one person never seeing the other again is a possibility any time two people part while also telling the young man how proud he is of him. He is more awkward with Raffi, clearly uncomfortable when she insists on physically embracing him.

Soji/Sutra: Isa Briones gets a dual role, and she does well with both parts. So well that I wish the producers hadn't insisted on making Sutra more visibly artificial with golden skin - Briones' performance does everything necessary to separate Soji and Sutra.  Sutra holds herself with perfect posture, speaking slowly and formally and without direct emotion, all of which shows that she's at a greater remove from the humans and other organics than Soji is or Dahj was. Meanwhile, Soji is an emotional mess. She confronts the captive Narek just to tell him how much she despises him, and later fumes that she should have killed him when she had the chance.

Dr. Jurati: The greater the remove from her exposure to The Admonition, the more she seems like the eager and likable young woman from the early episodes. She regards the androids with genuine awe. The only fear she shows is when Sutra asks to use a Vulcan mind meld to view The Admonition, and it's clear that she's frightened not of Sutra, but of revisiting that horrible vision. She feels tremendous guilt for her actions, making her perhaps a little too susceptible when Sutra and Soong offer her a chance to "make up for it."

Capt. Rios: When Sutra moves toward Jurati to perform the mind meld, he instinctively gets in the way. He steps aside after Jurati tells him that she's willing, but he still he remains close and wary, poised to act if needed. Before he and Raffi return to the ship, he shares a moment with Jurati when he makes clear that he retains strong feelings for her. He also tells her that he doesn't fully trust the synthetics, though she's too starstruck at seeing her lifelong dream made reality to pay much heed.

Narek: Returns to a significant role after being relegated to a nonspeaking cameo in Nepenthe and after sitting out Broken Pieces entirely. Unfortunately, the complex, conflicted man from the first half of the season has been replaced by a one-dimensional baddie. His conversation with Soji should see him torn by the divide between the personal feelings that we saw were genuine and his sense of duty, between guilt and what he sees as necessity. Instead, he ends up screaming threats about how the Romulans will wipe everyone out. I hope the finale restores a little bit of his previous character depth, because this pod-Narek is just plain boring.

Seven of Nine: While connected to the Borg, her perceptions widened. She "saw" Picard use the transwarp conduit to reach this planet, then followed to lend aid. Yes, it's a bit of Borg-ex-machina, but that was hardly unheard-of on Voyager either. She and Elnor are firmly united in protecting the surviving ex-Borg, but she shows genuine respect and even deference to Picard in their scene together.

Dr. Soong: Brent Spiner returns, free of his Data makeup, as Altan Inigo Soong, son of Data's creator. He shows a hint of resentment about his father, indicating that the late Dr. Soong valued Data over his own child; still, he also seems to regard the androids as his children, and seems willing to protect them even at the cost of human lives. Spiner is good in the role, creating a character who may physically resemble Data ("if he'd gotten old and gone soft"), but who is very different than the android in temperament.


THE PICARD SLEDGE-HAMMER:

Though we've gotten a few Picard speeches during this season, notably when he tried to talk Seven out of seeking vengeance, this is the first episode that really brings out his full range of rhetorical moralizing.

First he tries to defuse Soji's anger after she confronts Narek. She muses about "the logic of sacrifice." Picard at least temporarily steers her away from that train of thought by pointing out that such logic "depends on if you're the person holding the knife." He's less successful with Sutra and Soong. He calls on the androids to remain peaceful and patient, promising that he will advocate on their behalf to Starfleet... a promise Soong punctures by pointing out that Starfleet didn't listen to Picard when the synthetic ban was put into effect, and that there's no reason to believe that they will listen to him now.


THOUGHTS:

Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1 does exactly what it needs to do. Pieces are put in place for the finale, with the regulars all on the same planet. Stakes are raised: A Romulan fleet is soon to arrive. Complications are introduced that pay off elements from earlier in the season while furthering the crisis for the final episode.

There are also several fine character moments. Each regular gets at least one good scene: Elnor's brief but heartfelt talk with Picard; Raffi's emotional reaction to Picard's illness; an early exchange in which Soji indulges Raffi in her paranoia about "homicidal fungus"; and even Picard's nonverbal reaction to an ex-Borg calling him "Locutus." The script may be focused on putting the plot pieces into place, but it doesn't forget the characters.

With one exception: Narek. Earlier episodes showed him to be smart, patient, and a master at connecting to people. None of those traits are in evidence here. He is captured offscreen, apparently without effort. His scene with Soji is the worst-written in the episode, carrying none of the emotional dynamics that are called for. His interaction with Sutra is entirely one-sided, the once-calculating spy never even thinking to probe at her motivations.  Finally, the episode ends with his status having shifted too abruptly... and once again, with key moments occurring offscreen. It's as if the writers knew that they should do something with him, but didn't know exactly what, and this strand throws the final part of this episode off-balance.


OVERALL:

The last ten minutes feels oddly rushed, in no small part due to the perfunctory treatment of the Narek subplot, which blunts the effectiveness of this otherwise well-made installment. Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1 mostly does its job of putting plot pieces in place for the finale while still grounding itself in character moments. But the abrupt ending leaves a mixed final impression.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: Broken Pieces
Next Episode: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2

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1-08. Broken Pieces.

Zhat Vash recruits undergo The Admonition.

Original Air Date: Mar. 12, 2020. Written by: Michael Chabon. Directed by: Maja Vrvilo.


THE PLOT:

Picard returns to La Sirena to find Jurati unconscious after her drastic nullification of the Romulan tracker she had swallowed. He has little time to absorb the implications. The instant Capt. Rios lays eyes on Soji, he declares that he is done with this mission once Picard is dropped off at Deep Space 12, then disappears into his cabin, leaving his holograms to run the ship.

Rios makes it clear he doesn't want company, but a few careless words from the Navigation Hologram sets off Raffi's patented Conspiracy Radar. Raffi begins questioning each of the holograms in turn. She finds that their memories have been wiped. Still, just enough traces persist to allow her to piece the truth together - and to realize that Rios's trauma is closely linked to their current mission.

Back on the Romulan-controlled Borg Cube, Narissa prepares her forces to attack Soji's homeworld. She has just a few loose ends to tie up first: The Borg drones, the ex-Borg, and Elnor. But Elnor has already sent out a call for help, which arrives in the unexpected form of ex-Borg and current Fenris Ranger Seven of Nine!


CHARACTERS:

Picard: At first he is in denial about Jurati's betrayal. He doesn't stubbornly cling to that denial, however, particularly in the face of the Medical Hologram's evidence that she killed Dr. Maddox; and when Jurati regains consciousness, she is greeted by a stone-faced Picard flatly telling her that she will be surrendered to the authorities when they reach Deep Space 12. Not everything is angst for him this episode: He gets particular pleasure out of calling up Admiral Clancy, who has to interrupt him to admit that he was right and to tell him that he'll have whatever help she can give.

Soji: Continues to struggle with her true nature. A talk with Picard seems to help, as he shares recollections about Data while also telling her that both her past and future are hers to claim. She's helped even more by meeting Jurati, who responds to meeting a real synthetic with enthusiasm. Soji asks very directly if Jurati considers her to be truly alive, and she ends by telling her that she would never give the scientist the opportunity to harm her.

Dr. Jurati: Upon waking up, she ignores Picard's glare long enough to ask if her attempt to neutralize the Romulan tracker worked. She's exhausted by all that has transpired since she was approached by Commander Oh, and she doesn't even try to deny responsibility for her actions. She tells the others about Oh mindmelding with her, and with the added context of this episode we realize that Oh subjected her to The Admonition - the same vision given to prospective members of the Zhat Vash. Oh's conditioning can't stop the longtime cyberneticist from being enthused at meeting Soji, and the two seem to develop a certain rapport at the end of the episode.

Capt: Rios: This episode is a tour-de-force for Santiago Cabrera, who plays not only Rios but also five distinct holograms, each with his own accent and personality. Cabrera has a lot of fun as the various holograms: one seems to have no sense of personal space boundaries, another primly sniffs every line of dialogue, another splays back in his chair while incoherently mumbling responses to questions (prompting an exasperated Raffi to declare, "That's not even a language"). Cabrera's best acting, however, is reserved for Rios's recollection of what happened in the past. As Rios gives the details of the incident that led to his former C. O.'s death, we see both how he is equally haunted and outraged by what happened, even as the final pieces fall into place linking that event to the present-day story.

Raffi: At some point in the last couple episodes, she locked herself out of being able to replicate drugs or alcohol... A major enough character progression that we really should have seen it, rather than learning about it after the fact (perhaps as a button on the previous episode, with Raffi blaming her lack of sobriety for missing the warning signs Jurati was giving off?).  In any case, with no substances to distract and numb her, Raffi leans into the mystery of why Rios has such a stark reaction to Soji. When it becomes clear that the holograms have information, but that it's been wiped and/or buried, she gets to enjoy unraveling the puzzle, something that no doubt appeals to her conspiracy-theorist instincts.

Elnor/Seven: When Seven arrives just in time to save him, Elnor is so overwhelmed at the rescue that he gives her a full hug... which she receives very awkwardly. She hesitates over the morality of using her implants to re-enslave the Borg drones, but Elnor responds with practicality: They need the drones to defeat the Romulans, and she can always release them once they've won. She doesn't think it's that simple, observing that once she's joined with the Collective, she may not wish to release either the drones or herself. When circumstances force Seven's hand, she proceeds anyway - and becomes so completely Borg that Elnor asks if she plans to assimilate him. He does not sound resistant to the idea, which is somewhat concerning - Does he so crave a place to belong that he would willingly sacrifice his individuality?

Narissa: The episode opens, as most of them have, in the past, just prior to the attack on Mars. This time, Narissa is the focus of the flashback. We see her joining the Zhat Vash, undergoing The Admonition alongside her aunt - who turns out to be Ramdha (Rebecca Wisocky), the very Romulan mythology expert Soji had interviewed. Oh (Tamlyn Tomita) presides over the ritual, warning the participants that the vision would drive some of them mad. She undersells the experience, which drives everyone mad with one exception: Narissa. The question of the day: Did Narissa become a murderous psychopath because of the vision, or did she survive the vision because she already was so damaged? The present day story pauses to show that Narissa genuinely cares for her aunt and to give us additional backstory about the Borg Cube... before then returning her to her usual role as a gleefully murderous villain.


THOUGHTS:

Broken Pieces is an appropriate title for this episode. So many of the characters are broken in one way or another. The ex-Borg, including Narissa's aunt, are broken: the other ex-Borg, by their assimilation; Ramdha, by her exposure to The Admonition. Commodore Oh "broke" Jurati with that same vision; and though Jurati seems to be regaining her sense of self, particularly in her scene with Soji, she now is left to wrestle with the guilt over her actions.

Rios is also broken. He's been left traumatized by the incident that led to the death of a captain he considered as a father figure, and his Starfleet career was destroyed by that same event. To an extent, Rios as a full person is represented by his holograms: one is outgoing, probably as he was before the incident; another is an intellectual, not unlike the Rios who reads existentialist literature; another is laid-back to a fault... all of them basically different facets of Rios - or who Rios would be, had he not been shattered so many years ago.

The thematic unity is well-done, which helps to carry an episode that is primarily concerned with exposition. The opening fills in the backstory behind the Zhat Vash and their crusade against synthetics. The middle is dominated by Raffi's search to learn about the incident that destroyed Rios, and how it is tied to Soji. The final scenes tie the disparate bits of information together, ending with a direct lead-in to the next episode. We get a bit of action in the Elnor/Seven subplot, but for the most part this is the episode that gets all that pesky information out of the way, so that the two-part finale is (hopefully) not weighed down by it.

This much exposition, much of it delivered via monologue, could be dramatically inert, if not outright dull. Writer Michael Chabon mostly makes it work by structuring it well. Rios doesn't simply recite his backstory upon seeing Soji; he withdraws, prompting Raffi to spend much of the episode hunting for information before finally confronting him. Rios's backstory becomes an intriguing mystery, and even the source of a bit of light humor in the scenes with the holograms, before the emotional revelation comes.

The emotion is the other thing that makes it work. The backstory isn't just dry exposition: It's an event that effects our regulars, and we see the reactions of Rios, Picard, Jurati, and Soji.


OVERALL:

Though mostly a talky episode, Broken Pieces fills in a lot of needed backstory. To an extent, I wonder if some of this couldn't have been parceled out earlier. Still, Michael Chabon's script does a good job of structuring the exposition in an engaging manner. It may be The Exposition Episode before the grand finale, but to its credit it only occasionally feels like it.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: Nepenthe
Next Episode: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1

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1-07. Nepenthe.

The Rikers: Will, Deanna, and their daughter Kestra.

Original Air Date: Mar. 5, 2020. Written by: Samantha Humphrey, Michael Chabon. Directed by: Douglas Aarniokoski.


THE PLOT:

Picard and Soji escape from the Romulan-controlled Borg Cube using a Borg teleportation device. It sends them to Nepenthe, a planet whose soil has regenerative properties, resulting in lush vegetation. Picard's former First Officer, William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), has retired here with his wife, former counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), and their daughter, Kestra (Lulu Wilson). They are both happy to see their old captain, but they are also concerned, as it is clear that Picard has gotten himself in over his head.

On La Sirena, Capt. Rios has a problem. He needs to reach Nepenthe to reunite with Picard. There's only one problem: His ship is being pursued by Narek, who keeps finding them no matter what Rios does to shake him. There's only one possible explanation: Someone on the ship is a traitor!


CHARACTERS:

Picard: Is far more relaxed with Riker and Troi than he has been with his newer (younger) crew. Back with his old friends, he's able to show vulnerability. He remains insistent on keeping them out of it, not wanting the danger of his self-appointed final mission to imperil them or their daughter. Still, talking the situation over with Riker and Troi allows him to get a handle on where the situation lies, and to actually stop and think about what he should do next.

Riker: Jonathan Frakes makes a welcome return in front of the camera. Riker has traded in Starfleet for domesticity, but he's still entirely recognizable as the same character. Surrounded by the things he loves - his family, good food, and jazz music - his demeanor is mostly laid back and humorous. When Soji voices suspicion of Picard's motives, however, we hear the snappishness of the military officer who was often strict with his subordinates. He also gets a chance to act as Picard's XO again, telling him once they are alone that his refusal to share his problems is arrogance, and that his current predicament is very different from being on the bridge of the Enterprise.

Troi: She is far more cautious about getting involved in Picard's problems than Riker is. She's willing enough to provide refuge and even to help him think and plan, but she is afraid of harm coming to her family - and not without reason, as we learn fairly early in the episode. "I'm not as brave as I used to be," she admits, which Picard graciously attributes to wisdom. She's still very fast to call him out when he is too aggressive in response to Soji's wariness of him, which oddly makes her seem more like an experienced counselor than she ever did on TNG. Also, given that her role is almost as prominent as Riker's, I can't help but wonder why she doesn't get a "Special Guest Star" slot in the credits the same way Frakes does.

Soji: "None of this is real. Just get on with the mind game." In the wake of Narek's betrayal, she can't make herself trust anyone. Which is fair enough, honestly - In series, there's probably less than 30 minutes' separation between the Zhal Makh ritual and her arrival on the planet, with all of the intervening minutes having been spent evading people trying to kill her. Picard's unplanned visit to Nepenthe may well have saved her sanity, giving her a couple days to process all that has happened in a place of safety. She particularly bonds with Kestra, who grew up on stories of Data and is fascinated - in a completely positive way - by Soji. Oh, and for the second time this series, Isa Briones absolutely nails the "Data head tilt."

Capt: Rios: When he first spots Narek following them, he isn't concerned. He simply drops out of warp, confident that the Romulan will overshoot them. When Narek keeps finding them, however, he realizes that there has to be some kind of tracking device. He zeroes in on the wrong suspect, believing that the spy must be Raffi. His thinking is reasonable enough: Raffi's return to La Sirena was accompanied by her backsliding into her addictions. But I also think that he refuses to consider that Agnes Jurati, his new lover, might be the spy instead.

Dr. Jurati: We've known since the end of Episode Five that she's secretly working against Picard... a twist that was a little too easy to guess as far back as Episode Three, telegraphed way back then both by her overly convenient arrival at Picard's chateau to the very abrupt cutaway from her meeting with Commodore Oh. This episode begins by showing us the rest of that meeting, as Oh uses a mind-meld to convince Jurati with absolute certainty that Soji's survival would result in galactic devastation. Oh also made her swallow a tracking device... and while Jurati may be a mess, she isn't stupid. She swallowed a tracking device and Romulans are now tracking La Sirena: You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to connect those dots.

Elnor/Hugh/Narissa: Hugh is interrogated by Narissa, who by this point is behaving as a full psychopath. She doesn't kill Hugh, because the Romulans' treaty with the Federation would create consequences even she isn't willing to risk, but she does something worse: She starts killing the ex-Borg Hugh has worked to protect to compel him to answer questions. When Elnor witnesses this, he resolves to stay behind to stop her, vowing that "this will not happen again." But for all his skill, Elnor is still in many ways the little boy who reveled in Dumas stories brought to him by Picard. He believes in codes and in honor... concepts that don't bind Narissa at all.


THOUGHTS:

From its first episode, Star Trek: Picard has done a fine job of balancing the demands of nostalgia against being its own series. There have been no lack of nods to TNG and other 1990s Trek series, but these have largely been done in ways that either feed Picard's plot (such as using Data's death as the story's foundation) or at least haven't distracted from it.

Nepenthe more overtly plays to TNG nostalgia than any previous episode, but it also does it in a way that serves the larger story. Picard has reached the endpoint of his plan. He has found and rescued Soji. Having accomplished that, he finally realizes that this was only half a plan. He's saved her from the immediate threat, but he doesn't know what to do next, and has no idea how to make her truly safe from her pursuers.

The Rikers provide a temporary haven, a place where Picard can finally relax and take some time to think. Sure, it works as a TNG reunion, and I won't pretend I didn't enjoy that aspect... But it also gives Picard a much-needed moment of reflection, a bit of space in which he isn't rushing to find or save anyone. It allows him to remember that what he really needs - as Troi puts it - is "to be Jean-Luc Picard: compassionate, patient, curious." By the end of the episode, he has found new direction and purpose, which I'm guessing will take us to the finale.

The scenes on Nepenthe are wonderfully photographed. The visual look is brighter, emphasizing its status as an idealized haven. Even the interior scenes have a hue that suggests the sunlight that pervades every outside shot. The contrast is all the more striking when intercut with the episode's other two settings: the dark, oppressive Borg Cube and the antiseptic La Sirena.

The Picard/Riker/Soji thread is the episode's primary focus, and it is a joy to watch. However, the other two threads aren't as effective. The La Sirena scenes are perfectly well executed, but Rios's attempts to evade Narek are never as gripping as they should be, and no real attempt is made to develop or build his suspicions of Raffi. Dr. Jurati's turmoil is more effective; but the entire subplot, particularly Jurati's concluding action, seem to be there mainly to set up the next episode.

Unfortunately, the Elnor/Hugh plot is the episode's weakest. It's never explained why the two didn't just follow Picard through once the teleporter recharged; the end of The Impossible Box indicated that Elnor could have held the Romulans off for long enough to make that happen. Narissa, already a mostly two-dimensional character, is reduced further to Cartoon Villainy. Hugh, who once led an underground resistance of renegade Borg, is also reduced... largely to the role of "useless baggage." The entire subplot consists of two-and-a-bit scenes, and so it feels rushed and perfunctory... and with an ending that's as ill-advised as it is predictable.


OVERALL:

Nepenthe's main plot does a fine job of being more than just an exercise in nostalgia. The scenes with Picard and his two old shipmates are beautifully played by all three actors, and are written to further Picard's character arc even before furthering the plot. Soji's dilemma is almost as interesting, with her distrust of Picard entirely understandable under the circumstances.

If the central thread was the entire episode, I would rate this as being as good in its way as The Impossible Box. Unfortunately, the secondary threads drag it down a bit, with the Borg Cube subplot particularly weak.

It's still a good episode. But I can't help wondering if the writers might have been better advised to have made Picard's visit to the planet the full focus, and saved the other characters' issues for the next episode.


Overall Rating: 7/10.

Previous Episode: The Impossible Box
Next Episode: Broken Pieces

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1-06. The Impossible Box.

Narek guides Soji through a forbidden ritual.

Original Air Date: Feb. 27, 2020. Written by: Nick Zayas. Directed by: Maja Vrvilo.


THE PLOT:

Bruce Maddox is dead... but not before telling Picard that Soji is on the Artifact, working for the Borg Reclamation Project. That means a new course: into Romulan territory, in violation of the treaty between the Romulans and the Federation. This doesn't worry Picard, who has a plan to sidestep that. But voluntarily going to a Borg Cube brings back the worst memories of his life.

On the cube, Soji is having nightmares. A few questions from Narek lead her to question her own past and memories. Narek offers a solution in the form of the Zhal Makh, a Romulan meditation ritual that is forbidden to outsiders. Soji feels just desperate and vulnerable enough to agree, not realizing that she could be walking into a trap.


CHARACTERS:

Picard: Even the prospect of returning to a Borg cube puts him on edge, and when he beams over, he all but collapses at the memories of being transformed into Locutus of Borg. He is impressed by the work the Reclamation Project is doing under Hugh's direction, amazed to see the Borg assimilation reversed on such a scale. When Hugh protests that the results are far from ideal, Picard dismisses that: "What you're doing is good, Hugh. There's no need for it to be perfect."

Soji: Narek's questions already have planted doubts, which may well be what prompted her nightmares in the first place. When Narek tells her that the logs of her calls to her mother all last a mere 70 seconds, she investigates on her own, scanning her old photos and childhood mementos. She is understandably shocked when every item reads as "37 months old." All of this leaves her vulnerable to Narek's suggestions, even though she still doesn't truly trust him.

Dr. Jurati: "I have a superpower: I can sense mistakes while I'm making them." Jurati has been left shaken by Maddox's death. She seeks comfort by initiating an affair with Capt. Rios, even though she pauses to label this a mistake before going forward with it. She continues to be refreshingly eager to avoid danger: She hates space travel, in part because space "wants to kill you," and she is openly relieved when Picard is the only one allowed to beam over to the cube.

Narek: The episode's title refers in part to Narek's prized possession: a puzzle box that his sister dismisses as a "toy." Narek clarifies that it's a tool that helps him focus, as solving the box requires patience. He compares the box to Soji: "The information is all in there... The key to opening (the box) is taking the time to understand what's keeping it closed." Despite his cold words, it's obvious that he's emotionally attached to Soji. When his trap for her finally snaps shut, his face is the very picture of anguish.

Elnor: The sheltered Romulan is fast becoming one of my favorite characters. Some comedy is wrung from his blunt assessments of both Picard and Jurati, with him worrying that he was "in-butting" after seeing their reactions. He is highly observant and is the first to notice that Jurati is feeling haunted. His pledge to Picard makes him resist staying on the ship, and Picard has to firmly order him to stay behind before he will agree.

Raffi: Her son's rejection sees her returning to her worst habits. She's drinking almost constantly, and she apparently picked up some of her favorite recreational drug while on Freecloud, leaving her in a bad state. Rios acts as a friend, making sure to be there for her without trying to push her or lecture her. To her credit, she pulls herself together long enough to prod a Starfleet contact into getting Picard authorized for a visit to the Artifact - but even this moment of usefulness comes at a price, as the old friend she calls tells her to never call again, leaving her shaken as she staggers off the bridge.

Hugh: He makes sure to greet Picard on beam-in, recognizing how traumatic this visit will be for the former Starfleet officer. Though he appreciates Picard's praise for his work, he isn't entirely happy with the way the Romulans are running the project. His team may be able to deprogram the Borg drones, but the Romulans won't allow the ex-Borg to leave, leading him to complain that they have exchanged slavery to the Borg for slavery to the Romulans. It's unspoken but obvious that he accepted the post to make sure no actual abuses take place. He is unsurprised when Picard asks about Soji, not least because he has observed Narek's interest in her and has already realized that she is in trouble.


THOUGHTS:

I have been waiting for this.

So far I've been enjoying Picard. Episode by episode, it's been consistently decent, consistently enjoyably, consistently fine. Just fine. I've found something to enjoy in every episode; but of the first five installments, only Map and Legends left me genuinely gripped.  The rest have left me generally entertained, but not much more than that.

The Impossible Box finally delivers. Part of the reason, I think, is that it runs 54 minutes - about ten minutes longer than most episodes - giving the story time to breathe. Though it's a major arc episode, Nick Zayas's script focuses heavily on the characters. Every one of the regulars receives at least one good scene, and the characters feel like complete, flawed, messy human beings.

There are a number of strong moments. The scene in which Raffi gains Picard's authorization is an old-fashioned bit designed to make you laugh and smile at the victory... until Raffi gets a verbal slap as an old friend tells her never to call again. I found the scene of Picard's traumatic arrival on the Borg to be over-the-top, but it's thankfully a brief moment; and the tone instantly corrects when Hugh arrives. This single misjudged scene is then followed by a quite good one, as Hugh takes time to show off the work that is being done to reclaim the ex-Borg. This allows Picard to recognize that his former tormenters are themselves victims, and the work Hugh is doing to try to save them seems to bring Picard a measure of peace.

The best scene is the major set piece, as Narek takes Soji through the Zhal Makh. This is staged as Soji taking a physical journey to match her emotional one. Her path is marked out by candles, with her slowly moving along this path as she mentally relives her nightmare. When her internal defenses kick in to try to make her stop, Narek is ready. He is soft and affectionate in his manner, but his every breath is spent urging her to search for the answers that he needs as much as she does, even though doing this causes him genuine emotional pain. In short, the scene is an encapsulation of their entire relationship.

It ends with an effective action sequence, with its final fade-out clearly a direct lead-in to the next episode. As we go to black in mid-confrontation, a final line is spoken, followed by the sounds of combat. Given the last time we heard that line, there's not much doubt about what happens next... but the execution is perfectly judged, as much for the gap between dialogue and sound effects as for the actual writing.

As the end credits started to roll, I had to restrain myself from moving onto the next episode - marking only the second time that an episode has left me with that reaction.


OVERALL:

The Impossible Box is easily the best episode of Picard up to this point. An extra ten minutes of running time gives it space to breathe. Every one of the regulars receives at least one good moment, and the script doesn't so much balance character and plot advancement as intertwine them, with the big story scenes also being big character scenes.

I'm not quite awarding full marks; I didn't care for the overdone moment when Picard arrived on the Cube, which led me to wonder how he was even able to function during other post-Best of Both Worlds encounters with the Borg. Still, this was an otherwise terrific episode, and I'm hoping it marks a turning point in a series that, while perfectly entertaining, has until this point mostly fallen short of its potential.


Overall Rating: 9/10.

Previous Episode: Stardust City Rag
Next Episode: Nepenthe

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1-04. Absolute Candor.

Picard solicits the aid of Elnor (Evan Evagora), who was trained by a Romulan warrior sect.

Original Air Date: Feb. 13, 2020. Written by: Michael Chabon. Directed by: Jonathan Frakes.


THE PLOT:

Picard takes a detour to Vashti. During the Romulan evacuation, Vashti was the planet where refugees were housed to await permanent relocation. After the synthetic uprising, the evacuation was abandoned, as were the refugees... leaving Vashti to degenerate into a crime-riddled slum.

Picard tries to enlist the aid of an old friend: Zani (Amirah Vann) of the Qowat Milat, an order of Romulan warrior nuns who believe in "absolute candor" - always speaking what they are thinking and feeling. Years ago, Picard had befriended Zani's ward, a refugee boy named Elnor (Evan Evagora). Now a young man, Elnor harbors resentment at Picard's abandonment of him. Zani requests Picard take Elnor with him on his mission, assuming Elnor can overcome his anger long enough to agree.

Meanwhile, Soji searches for answers about what happened to the Romulan ship assimilated by the Borg. Narek indicates that he may be able to get those answers.  Soji, however, finds herself increasingly wary of her lover's secrets, even as his information leads her to begin doubting herself.


CHARACTERS:

Picard: Goes to Vashti for two reasons. The first is practical: He knows that he and his ramshackle crew are up against dangerous forces, and having a trained Romulan warrior on his side will be a benefit. The second, and more important to him, is emotional: He feels deep guilt at his failure to complete the evacuation. At the time, he solely blamed Starfleet, telling Raffi that it was impossible to evacuate everyone without Starfleet support. Now he blames himself for not attempting to do something more, acknowledging to Zani that even though he couldn't save everyone, he should have done everything in his power to do more.

Soji: Her conversation with Ramdha has left her feeling driven to understand more. We first see her watching an old interview with Ramdha, from before the Borg, in which she described the mythological significance of "The Destroyer" - the name she applied to Soji. When Narek appears, seemingly out of nowhere, Soji expresses suspicion about how he always seems to know where she is or what she is doing. She remains drawn to him, as we see at the end of a sequence in which they playfully evade security sensors only to fall, laughing, into each others' arms, but she doesn't trust him.

Capt. Rios: Though he seems to be the Star Trek version of Han Solo, the jaded mercenary pilot with the beat up but highly maneuverable old ship, there are clearly other sides to him. When Jurati catches him on his down time, he is doing some light reading: a (paper) book about the implications of man's awareness of his inevitable death. He seems to instinctively defer to Picard, but he still bristles when Picard snaps orders before he does.

Dr. Jurati: Now that the mission is underway, Jurati takes on the role of Audience Surrogate, voicing the observations that most of us would have in the same situation. She finds space travel boring, because there's really nothing to do until they reach their destination. When Picard and Raffi describe the Romulan warrior nuns, she can't help but grin about such an Order actually existing. Even so, she opines that the Order's "Way of Absolute Candor sound potentially annoying."

Elnor: Evan Evagoria debuts as Elnor, whom I sincerely hope is the last of the series' "new regular" introductions. As a child, he is enthusiastic, swiping fruit from the local market, begging Picard to read to him, and clearly engaging in some serious hero worship toward the Starfleet admiral. 14 years later, that hero worship has turned into bitter resentment. When Picard asks for his aid, he snits that the old man has only come to him now that he can be useful, and his first inclination is to turn him down flat. It's no spoiler to say that he changes his mind, in a scene that demonstrates both his combat skills and his lack of restraint in a single blow.

Narek: He plants "a seed of doubt" in Soji, telling her that despite her memory of traveling on the Ellison to the Beta Quadrant (where the Borg Cube is located), her name does not appear on that ship's manifest. When Soji demands to know what game he's playing, he replies honestly by his standards: "Feeding an insatiable curiosity." His sister later observes that his obsession with Soji makes sense, given that he's been studying androids for his entire life.


THOUGHTS:

Before I discuss the episode proper, one quick complaint. Absolute Candor is the second Picard episode in which a character has dropped an "f" bomb, seemingly for no reason other than to show that they can. I'm happy to see modern production values and storytelling techniques in use in this show; I don't want new Star Trek to look and feel exactly like old Star Trek. But for all that... the "f" word feels out of place to me in Star Trek. It doesn't offend - I just find it jarring, and it takes me momentarily out of the episode.

That aside, I enjoyed Absolute Candor. Not least because, while it's still very much a stage setting episode, it is the first installment to really have its own individual focus: namely, Picard's return to Vashti, and the guilt he feels as a result.

"A promise is a prison," Zani intones early in the episode, during Picard's previous visit to Vashti. We open (once again) 14 years in the past, with Admiral Picard dropping in on the Romulan refugees. He is greeted as a hero, and he isn't shy about playing the part as he makes promises about Starfleet's support. His stay is cut short by news of the synthetic uprising. When Zani asks what impact this will have on their efforts, Picard makes one last promise: That all will go ahead as planned. It's a promise he won't be able to keep.

His return to Vashti shows how far the planet has fallen. It's physically the same, though the golden lighting of the opening is replaced by a flat, ugly visual aesthetic for the present. The main difference, however, is in the residents. When Picard beams down and greets the people on the streets, they don't reply. Most don't even look at him; those who do, stare in a way that's decidedly unfriendly. And establishments now are marked with signs reading: "Romulans only," underscoring inter-species tensions that had not been there previously.

This change is a direct result of Starfleet pulling back their support. The evacuation was called off, and Vashti was left to its own devices. Picard feels instant guilt. He may have argued against Starfleet's decision. But after Starfleet decided, he... did nothing. As he admits to Zani: "I made the perfect the enemy of the good."

That the episode is focused around Vashti, and Picard's emotional ties to the planet, helps it to feel more like a full episode than like just another chapter. The individual story - Picard's return to Vashti and his recruitment of Elnor - is simple, but it's effectively done, all the more so for the contrasts between past and present: The vibrant Vashti becomes a slum; the grateful residents become resentful inmates; and the confident Picard becomes a regretful old man. Patrick Stewart is particularly good here, conveying Picard's guilt without overplaying it or allowing it to compromise his basic dignity.

The episode ends with a crowd-pleasing appearance that would have been a nice surprise... if only the opening credits hadn't spoiled it. Generally, other shows have handled such appearances by saving the actor's credit for the end titles, which is what should have happened here. Instead, when the crew of La Sirena begins talking about a mysterious pilot, we're several steps ahead regarding that pilot's identity. A minor missed opportunity, but I would have much rather been surprised.


OVERALL:

Absolute Candor gets a boost by actually feeling like an episode in itself rather than just a building block. I'm still waiting for Star Trek: Picard to finish stage setting and get on with the play... but the show is keeping me engaged so far, and I found this a solidly enjoyable installment.


Overall Rating: 6/10.

Previous Episode: The End Is the Beginning
Next Episode: Stardust City Rag

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